About The Connection

Welcome to The Connection! I'm Alexis Ortiz, and I launched The Connection in August 2025 as a newsletter and community resource with the goal of making foreign policy more accessible to everyone.
About Me
I'm an attorney with over a decade of experience in international law and international human rights. When I graduated from college, a professor gave me a copy of a book about Mexican human rights lawyer Digna Ochoa, and opened up an entire world. That moment started me on a path working as a paralegal at an immigration law firm, and on to law school, where I earned a Juris Doctor and a Master of Laws in International Human Rights. Along the way, I did internships at human rights and civil rights organizations, and in the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. After law school, I spent nearly 12 years at the U.S. Department of State as an Attorney-Adviser, where I advised on issues ranging from the negotiation of marine conservation treaties to the military coup d'état in Myanmar and the genocide in Xinjiang.
The genesis for this project came about in summer 2025, in response to the rapid changes to U.S. foreign affairs agencies, and to U.S. foreign policy and foreign assistance. Watching this unfold--and living through it myself--left me committed to finding a way to make better information available to the public on the ways foreign policy can contribute to the safety, security, and prosperity of our world, and how we all benefit from being more, not less, connected to each other.
With that framework in mind, The Connection draws on three core principles:
1. Everyone should have access to the information they need to understand how foreign policy is conducted and how it affects them.
Too often, our options for learning about events like the war in Ukraine or international efforts to protect biodiversity are limited to either 30-second soundbites in mainstream media, or lengthy thought pieces meant for people who are already experts. While these resources have their own utility and value, everyone should be able to learn about foreign policy in a way that is clear, free from jargon, and accessible for people with busy lives.
2. Knowledge reminds us that we are powerful, and helps us locate where our power and influence are in relation to the things we want to change.
Foreign policy doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It affects us, and so it should reflect us—our priorities, our concerns, and our diverse humanity. We are stronger when we learn to understand and advocate for the world we want to live in. To that end, together, I want us to build on a framework that asks what problems or opportunities we see arising, and where our power lies in relation to those problems or opportunities.
3. We thrive in community.
Learning, like social change, is not a solo endeavor. We can and should be resources for each other, and we all have something of value to contribute. In that spirit, I don’t want my voice to be the only one in this space. You’ll also hear from guest contributors who are experts in their fields and want to share their knowledge, and you’ll have access to community conversations about what’s happening in the world and how we might respond to it in constructive ways.
What We'll Do Together
Starting in September 2025, all subscribers to The Connection will receive, delivered straight to your inboxes:
- “Foundations,” a once-a-month short crash course in both audio and written format designed to get you up to speed on a topic of interest, such as what role local governments can play in foreign affairs, or how the United Nations Security Council works;
- “The Guest Spot,” periodic posts from guest contributors who are experts in foreign policy, international law, or international development;
- Special editions of “The Brief,” offering clear, concise explainers of breaking world news.
In addition, for $7/month (less than the cost of coffee and a pastry!), paid subscribers will receive the following:
- Weekly editions of “The Brief” in both audio and written format, providing an accessible primer on unfolding world events you’ll want to keep an eye on, and why they matter;
- Access to the full archive of posts, as well as any bonus features;
- Access to periodic community-only events such as Q&A sessions or calls to discuss current events.
New paid subscribers will receive a 30-day free trial to access all content and decide if it’s something you’re interested in.
Other Ways to Engage
Looking for other ways to participate? Pop on over to the Community Engagement tab to learn about how to contribute a guest post, or how to bring me to your organization or classroom either virtually or in-person for an in-depth discussion of how to engage on foreign affairs and human rights in our current era.
However you choose to participate in this community, I'm very glad you're here. Let's stay connected together!
You can also follow The Connection on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.